


A Marauder's Path (Sith OC -x- Reader)

by 123Ekaterina



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends: Knights of the Old Republic (Video Games), Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Multi, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic References
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-08
Updated: 2021-02-08
Packaged: 2021-03-13 07:53:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,437
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29274987
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/123Ekaterina/pseuds/123Ekaterina
Summary: Searching for a powerful blade in the forgotten ruins of Korriban, you stumble upon an ancient Sith Lord that wants MORE than his resurrection. Will you succumb to the Dark Side of the Force? (Yandere/Possessive Sith OC x Dark Force Sensitive Female Reader, Jedi Knight x Dark Force Sensitive Female Reader)
Relationships: Female Sith Warrior & Original Character(s), Original Character(s)/Reader, Original Male Character/Reader
Kudos: 3





	1. The Blade

**Author's Note:**

> This is an AU of the main storyline of the Sith Warrior path. All the dialogue with Darth Baras is written by game creators. I do not know SWTOR, I do not own Darth Baras. Some story scenes are borrowed from the game.

Power, strength, resilience. You breathed in deeply as you approached the Great Temple, intimidated by its size and dark aura. The red Korriban sun cast burgundy shadows onto the ancient stone-carved Sith statues, making the image even more aerie than it already was. You could hear faint screams echoing across the halls as unfortunate Acolytes succumbed to vicious K’lor Slugs who sucked their entrails in seconds. This was it. This was your trial. This was your chance to finally prove yourself to master and to the stinking Jedi that you were worth a damn. You growled in anger at the memory. How dare they deny you?! Too eager to gain strength? Too quickly angered? All powerful mighty Jedi. Ha! You’d show them. Their egos would be their downfall! 

You tightened your grip around the saber sword, gritting your teeth at its quality. Cheap replicated practice trash! It’s like they wanted the Acolytes to fail! You scoffed. No matter. You’d use other means to reach your goal. The force was your ally… no, your _subject_ to command and to use any way and shape you desired. You sneered and entered the temple confidently, heightening your senses and guarding against any upcoming attacks.

The slugs were easy---unintelligent dark side creatures, simple in their instinct to kill and to multiply. A few slashes across the abdomen landed fatal wounds. You smiled at the trail of blood and bodies you’ve created, feeling victorious at your complete dominance over lesser beings. The power was...addicting to say the least, but you knew you had to get stronger, and to do that you needed a proper weapon, the weapon of a Sith Warrior.

You closed your eyes, breathing through nostrils as you concentrated, feeling the force around you. The blade was close, it called to you, whispering your name, promising power. Frowning you followed your instincts coming close to a sealed tomb. Yes, the object of your desire was just behind these walls. 

You touched the cold stone, wiping the layers of dust around it, finding ancient Sith writing engraved into it. Great. Where was the protocol droid when you needed it? This was definitely a seal that could only be opened with the force.

Failing to understand the hieroglyphic you decided to display your power to gain entry. However, the wall did not move or even budge as you pushed at it with all your force. After a long struggle, you growled in defeat and punched the stone, failing to register pain in your anger. There must be another way in! There has to be! You did NOT come all this way for nothing!

You crouched in front of the sealed door, scratching your head in thought. Think, think! Perhaps it was a blood offering? No, no. The right conditions haven’t been met just yet. A display of power? No, nothing seemed to work and you’ve only exhausted yourself. You’ve already looked around the stone wall, trying to locate any hidden triggers, but found nothing. 

You felt an incredible amount of anger and pure rage the longer you stared at the seal. You hated when things resisted you! You hated being challenged by lesser beings. It was a lousy wall! How could you be stopped by a lousy rock?! This was embarrassing, unacceptable! Your resolve couldn’t be this weak to quit now! The wall had to submit or be destroyed! 

You growled unable to contain it, your body seizing up into contorted shape as you let out an unfiltered threatening scream of rage, challenging the wall and whatever behind it to act. Your voice echoed across the entire chamber, bouncing off the surface until it penetrated the seal itself, making the writings glow red. Eyes wide in disbelief, you waited until you heard the roars of a beast all too familiar just behind your destination, coming closer and closer. You gripped your saber sword, biting your tongue in anticipation of a battle.

“Come and get me you lousy slug!” you screamed as the giant creature broke the wall and the seal with it. This Queen K’lor Slug stood proudly over ten feet tall, its gaping mouth salivating at the sight of potential prey. You let out another chilling scream slowing the monster down and began to attack, dodging its advances and poisonous tail. You felt ferocious, battling the ancient beast, following your fight-or-flight instincts like a wild animal. You feared to lose your life, to fail, to succumb to this tomb like all the others. You were afraid… and you hated yourself for it---your weakness, your lack of skill, your lack of action. You wanted power to eradicate this weakness once and for all, to bury the past and the ghosts that haunted you. 

You used the fear of death to push forward, finally landing a fatal blow to the Slug’s chest, piercing the tough exoskeleton and reaching the heart. The enemy, finally succumbing to its injuries, continued to fall on top of you, intending to crush you as a last act of defiance. You growled in anger as you pushed at its ten tons body with all your might, keeping the corpse levitated until you rolled out of its way. It was finally over. You did it.

Breathing hard you cast your eyes at the destroyed saber sword, crushed under the enormous weight of the slug. No matter, you’d have a better one in just a moment. You stood up, using the force to null your aching body, slowly advancing towards the opened tomb. There, in the dull illuminated cave was the saber. You felt a strong power radiating from it, the dark side caressing your face the closer you got to it. Your eyes were transfixed on the weapon, hypnotized and seduced with no intention to resist the urge. 

“Take it,” you heard a dark whisper in your ear. Was this a voice of an ancient spirit trapped inside? 

“Claim the blade,” it spoke in your other ear, making you shudder. You swore you felt someone’s breath on top of your skin. The sensation made you turn around seeing nothing.

“Claim the power!” the male voice sounded more threatening, making the chamber shake in a small earthquake. 

You had no idea who this entity was, but you knew it was promising power, and there was always a price for power. The question was what were you willing to give up to obtain it?

Your eyes connected with the blade one last time before your hand finally grasped the handle. You felt a rush of pure adrenaline, feeling the full extent of the dark side of the force pulsating through you, turning your eyes into a bright shade of orange. 

“Yes! I am finally free!” a sinister chuckle echoed across the walls as you felt the voice penetrating your mind. You screamed in pain as you resisted, fighting for control over your own body. 

“Get out!” you screamed falling to your knees, scratching at your scalp with nails, digging into flesh. “Get away from me!” your voice changed into an animalistic growl. You pushed against the intruder with all your might. No, you needed control, not just raw power. Without control you couldn’t avenge them! You had to kill _him_ for ruining your life! You had to! 

Mustering the last bit of control over your body, you threw the saber to the side, finally feeling like yourself again, free from its clutches. 

There was silence as the dark voice seized to speak. You breathed hard trying to regain your senses, feeling a shiver down your spine the longer you stayed silent. You cast your eyes on the weapon only to find a dark red aura surrounding it, no… _escaping_ it. Whatever was inside intended to end you.

You gritted your teeth feeling powerless without your weapon, standing up to face the ancient Sith head on. There was no way of surviving this temple without a weapon. The K’lor Slugs would devour you given the chance, so retreat was not an option. You had to fight for the Sith Warrior Sword. You had to fight to live!

The blade levitated, its tip directly facing you. You felt dark intent emanating from it, understanding its sinister objective all too well.

“Yield or die!” you heard a voice in your ear again. As if.

Completely submitted to instinct, you used the force to push the blade as hard as you could, seeing it stop mid air right in front of your face. It was so fast your visual senses didn’t even register the initial movement. If it wasn’t for the force you’d be dead. You frowned breathing hard through your teeth as the saber shook. You were struggling to keep it inches from your face. 

“Such strength. You are worthy,” you heard a low almost lusty whisper too close to you, making you feel emotionally violated. This small distraction caused the saber to inch forward towards you, leaving you with no choice but to redirect its blow.

You gritted your teeth in pain as it entered your shoulder, its immense force sending your body across the chamber, colliding your back with the stone wall. With the last bit of strength you protected your body with a force cocoon, preventing yourself from fatal injuries. Thankfully, your barrier was strong enough to only cause a few bruises and scrapes. Your shoulder, however, was soaked in blood. The sword pinned you against the stone, its blade trapping you in place.

You opened your eyes to find a red silhouette of the Sith entity staring at you, its presence too close for comfort. You stared back at its intense red eyes, feeling anger and rage at being bested by a dead warrior. 

“You are worthy,” it repeated itself getting even closer, examining your ferocity. “My new apprentice,” the male spirit smirked as your eyes widened.  
“I already have a…” you began to speak through your teeth, your eyes glaring orange.

“Do not defy me!” he screamed in your face, force choking your neck for emphasis. “He is nothing! A mere acolyte! I am a true Dark Lord,” his grip on your neck lessened allowing you to breath. 

“I will teach you the ways of the Sith,” his voice turned dark, husky, and barely audible, sending goosebumps across your arms at the unstable nature of this man. You felt true power radiating from him. It caressed your skin in its dark intent. The entity no longer wanted to control you, but to teach you. However, it seemed that it would be permanently attached to you either way.

Were you willing to pay the price?

“Yes,” you replied to your own question. The male Sith smirked and laughed in triumph, pulling the blade from the wall and your shoulder, leaving a gushing wound behind. Feeling yourself freed, you grabbed at your side and retrieved a stim pack, injecting the serum straight into exposed meat. The pain was immense but the treatment stopped the blood loss instantly. Your eyes connected with your new master after you regained your composure. He stared down at you patiently, his power radiating and surrounding you.

“You will fly to Dromund Kaas,” his dominating tone left no room for objections, “You will enter the Dark Temple and reawaken my body. Only then your true training shall begin.”

The red silhouette became one with the blade, leaving the weapon at your feet. You grasped the handle, feeling the spirit reside within it, communicating its intent through the saber. This was the price to pay. Servitude to the new master but a chance for ancient knowledge and power. You were fine with that. Sooner or later, you will break your chains and become your own master. Soon you will have your revenge.

A/N: Let me know in the comments if you like the story so far. I don't exactly know where I am taking this, So I am open to your ideas.


	2. The Rival

Note: this is NOT the Sith OC, This is a picture of Darth Baras (keep reading). The dialogue between Vemrin and Darth Baras was provided by "Star Wars The Old Republic" Sith Warrior path. If you are enjoying the story so far, play the game. It is really good.

 _The pain._ Ugh, the pain was almost unbearable. The injected stim pack stopped the bleeding and accelerated the growth rate of scar tissue; however, it almost made it impossible to move. You grunted in distress, forcing your body to proceed, feeling disgust and hatred towards your own weaknesses. Although force-sensitive, you were still untrained in the dark side of the force… _still weak._ You hated it. You tried your hardest to null the aches through the force, but it only made you groggy. You wanted to do nothing but take a nap and sleep. Ugh, those stupid Jedi tricks. They made you weaker.

 _“Embrace the pain,”_ you heard a dark whisper in your ear. The sword at your side glowed dimply, illuminating the dark chambers ever so slightly. You looked down at your side, irritated at the advice. Wouldn’t it be more productive to focus on the chambers and the lurking enemies than on your body?

 _“Feel it radiate. Give into it,”_ the voice of your secret master was hard to ignore. His instructions were questionable at best, but you decided against the foolish resistance, especially in your current condition. Letting your mental walls down, you growled in pure rage as the pain enveloped your body fully, stimulating thousands of neurons all at once. Your screams echoed across the chambers, no doubt alerting whatever lurked within. Gritting your teeth, you grunted out in anger, feeling a surge of energy and force go through you, dark and electrifying. It urged you to go forward, to destroy anything standing in your way. At least now you felt a bit more powerful.

You pushed forward, gripping the sword tightly. Senses becoming sharper, you recognized a familiar presence, one you did not wish to face while wounded. You ducked and dodged to the side as a strong Sith war-blade attempted to slice you in half. Thankfully, your little stunt didn’t open the wound. However, you could sense the dark intent radiate around you without seeing the enemy. Knowing all too well who it was you spoke.

“Oh, good. I was getting lonely, and look who decided to visit. My _old friend_ Vemrin,” your voice was laced with spite and sarcasm as your hand gripped around your new sword. The figure came out of the shadows, revealing its face laced with a vile smirk.

“My passions run deeper than yours,” the human male spoke circling you around, his eyes menacing and hateful. Ah, yes. Your Acolyte rival here to steal your glory. You gritted your teeth at the pain but focused the feeling to project raw hatred towards the foolish intruder. 

Acolytes were not permitted to kill each other, officially; however, if an acolyte were to extinguish in their trials without witnesses of their death, then it would be considered an accident. You smirked at Vemrin’s sneaky ways.

“I am a true essence of what it is to be Sith!” he proclaimed swinging his sword around in a challenging gesture. 

“And yet I am the one with the warrior blade,” you replied seething with anger at the audacity. He couldn’t even complete the trials on his own! And here he was, trying to steal your glory, trying to win over your new master. You simply would not allow this pompous slug to take what was rightfully yours.

“Not for long,” his reply made you ignite your sword, leaping through the air to land a strike. The enemy was caught off guard but Vemrin managed to protect himself with an ignited blade.

Pain was surging through your body, but you ignored your aching shoulder, focusing the hatred and rage onto the unwanted rival. Vemrin recovered and swung his blade at you, pressuring you to ward the attack with your saber, the force emanating off you in a dark red cocoon. 

The human male kicked you in the stomach, attempting to stumble you backwards. Heh, a cheap trick; you absorbed the blow through the force, receiving less damage than anticipated. How foolish of him to underestimate your defensive capabilities. You sneered as you brought your blade and sliced at his leg, creating a gushing wound. 

“You’re gonna pay for that!” he roared in pain, eyes turning yellow in his uncontrolled but powerful rage.

“I’m right here,” you taunted your enemy, causing a glazed look of anger to overcome him. You smirked at your abilities. They have doubled since you’ve acquired the sword.

Vemrin, as if in a trance, proceeded to swing his blade at you, which hummed with every assault he delivered. You blocked the powerful strikes, feeling your body stagger under the man’s strength. You wouldn’t be defeated so easily, not after everything you’ve endured.

With as much strength as you could apply, you swung your sword in retaliation, using your body’s momentum and the force to bring a decapitating blow. Vemrin, in his last attempt, deflected the blow with his sword, which only broke it in half, rendering him defenceless. 

_“Crush him,”_ you heard a hiss in your ear, as you watched the frightened man attempt to flee. You backhanded the weakling, something you wanted to do for quite a while in your classroom.

“How?! How did you get this _power?_ ” Vemrin spoke frantically, trying his best to get away from your looming presence. You watched him seething on the floor in pleasure. He could still not accept his defeat even now.

“Becoming Darth Barus’s apprentice was _my_ destiny!” you almost rolled your eyes at the man’s ego. Darth Barus was the one who sent both of you to get the blade, knowing fully that only one would emerge victorious. The Dark Master was simply weeding out the weak. A very Sith way indeed.

“I’ve waited a long time to put you in your place,” you said as a matter of fact. “Consider this. Killing you was _easy_.” 

_“End him!”_ your new dark master hissed at you in delight. With pleasure.

With one powerful final strike, you ended the acolyte’s miserable useless life. His body laid motionless in the middle of the chambers, becoming another trial accident, becoming nothing but food for Klor’ Slugs.

Feeling no shame in doing so, you looted his corpse for Imperial Credits. They would become useful when entering Dromund Kaas. You frowned as you failed to find a Shuttle Pass upon Vemrin’s lifeless form. It looked like only a Darth’s apprentice would receive such a thing, which meant you had to face Baras. 

You felt a knot tighten at your throat at the realization. Wouldn’t he be able to sense your loyalty to a different master? Wouldn’t he be able to sense your traitorous plans from the start? Your untrained and uncloaked feelings could jeopardize everything! You tightened your grip in your wounded shoulder in pain. Ugh, to come this far and for nothing. You closed your eyes in defeat, trying to think of some way to escape this ratched red planet. You could sneak on a shuttle in the cargo pit, but that could prove to be life threatening if discovered.

“Apprentice,” you heard a man’s voice in front of you. You slowly opened your eyelids, too tired to defy your new Dark Master. 

“You will face this... _Baras_ ,” the way he spoke the Darth’s name made your skin crawl. There was something off about it, as if a mere thought of you having another potential master infuriated him. A chill ran down your spine.

“But, master. He will sense my true allegiance,” you felt too scared to object but you thought it necessary to voice.

“ _We_ will face him. _As one_ ,” the figure placed his hand on your shoulder, almost in a reassuring manner. You stepped back feeling pressure against the gash, catching on to the entity’s intent all too quickly. 

“N-no, m-master,” you stuttered in fear stepping back. “Teach me! I’m a quick learner…” you protested, hinting that you could mask your true intent with training if given a chance.

“There is no time to waste!” a sharp hiss made you freeze in place, shrinking away, too afraid to defy and feel his wrath. The energy around the dark entity intensified, making you feel uncomfortable and trapped. To defy his dominance would be to dance with death herself.

“Yes, master,” the defeat was clear in your voice as you looked down at the blooded floor. You were ready for pain in your shoulder to intensify, anticipating the entity to enter your body through the open wound. 

To your surprise, you felt fingers on your chin, lifting your head to look into glowing red eyes, far too close for comfort. You wanted to flee as you looked deeply into those dark menacing orbs of light, but felt imprisoned in the gaze. The hooded figure pulled closer, its mouth almost touching yours. You understood the Darth’s intentions precisely, closing your eyes in a submissive gesture. You were almost thankful your new master has decided to take over your body in a less painful way. However, the mere concept of him inside frightened you, causing your hands to tremble at the thought of losing control forever. What if this was a trick?

“I will only take control when necessary, Apprentice,” he spoke against your parted lips, as if sensing your internal struggles. The Sith Lord breathed into your mouth, dark smoke escaping from his opened orifice, intruding your body. You felt an icy breeze in your lungs, forcing you to double over and cough uncontrollably. After a moment of struggling, you were able to breath normally, taking big gulps of air. The figure was gone, residing inside you instead of the blade, which has now lost its initial burgundy glow. 

Straightening up, you balled your hands into fists, feeling a lot more powerful. Your true master was a force to be reckoned with. You smirked and walked out of the temple, defeating the Klor’ Slugs and any remaining Acolytes who were foolish enough to attack.

\---------------------------------------

You walked into the Sith Academy, all too familiar with the layout of the ancient structure. Wasting no time, you strode into the infirmary to get patched up, finally properly addressing your wound. The droids did not question your injuries as they worked on sawing your shoulder. Nobody seemed to pay you any attention, treating you as one of the Acolytes trying to survive the trials of becoming one of the Sith Lords. 

Once in perfect condition, you approached the Baras’s chambers nervously, feeling an all too familiar presence engulf your body, subduing your emotions. Your true master performed as promised, only taking control when in the presence of Baras. You felt your body walk in confidently, making eye contact with tall and bulky Sith Lord, fully clothed in his battle armor. You looked upon Baras’s mask which betrayed no emotions as it silently inspected you. A cool calm wave washed over you as you stood in front of the taller Sith.

“I am beside myself,” the man spoke as he looked upon your form. There was a small silence as he regarded you carefully, his arms behind his back. “Not only did you manage to survive, but you completed the task and claimed the ancient saber,” you liked the way this man stroked your ego. However, your secret master growled in your head, unhappy with the praise this puny man was bestowing upon you. Nobody should be allowed to praise or scold you but him alone!

“Vemrin was not in my chamber as I instructed,” Baras continues. “I take it he sought to stop you and claim the ancient weapon as his own.”

“He tried and failed. Vemrin was nothing if not consistent,” your mouth spoke without you processing your speech. You were impressed by how well your dark master was able to imitate your tone and voice.

“Bravo! I see you may indeed become one of the strongest Sith in the Galaxy. Your trials are over. You are now _my Apprentice,_ ” you felt unnatural anger spike within you, foreign as if belonging to someone else; however, your body and force betrayed none of your inner lingering thoughts of his death. 

_This fool saw your true potential and now wants you for himself,_ you heard a hiss in your head, followed by a dark twisted laughter. 

“I am your humble servant, Master. I bow before you” the fake sincerity in your voice almost made you snicker. Your bashful bow tied the entire performance in an entertaining sinister ribbon. The entity’s acting abilities were quite impressive, you could not deny that.

“Rise, my Apprentice. This is only the beginning,” Darth Baras spoke with an ominous intent in his voice. “With you as my _right hand_ , we shall strike fear into the Empire’s enemies.” You could feel hatred radiate off the taller man’s form, promising bloodshed and cruelty. “Here, this Shuttle Pass should take you to Dromund Kaas.”

You outstretched your hand and accepted the gift, feeling grateful and relieved that Baras was suspecting nothing of your sinister plan. A delighted dark chuckled echoes in your head at the turn of events.

“Meet me in my Stronghold there,” Baras turned his back to you, signalling the end to your conversation. You felt an urge to ignite your vibrosword and strike the foolish man down, but all in good time. 

“As you decree, my Lord,” you felt sick kissing his old, fat behind. Baras waved his hand away, dismissing you.

Your legs continued moving until you found yourself in your small private living quarters. They were simple and small, but they were your own, or at least they used to be during your stay here. 

Closing the door with the force, you collapsed on top of your bed in exhaustion, finally regaining control over your limbs. The Sith spirit left your body and hovered in the corner, its arms crossed, observing you quietly. You were too exhausted to give a damn, laying on your back and staring at the ceiling. Every single part of your body hurt, as if you had exercised every group muscle in the span of two hours. With no doubt, you needed your rest before this numbing fatigue would inevitably take over. But your mind was too alert to retire just yet.

The sequence of events...you had a nagging feeling that Baras did not mean for you to find this particular saber. The weapon...it was _ancient_ , hundreds of years old, perhaps...along with the Dark Lord. You cast your eyes upon the figure who has not moved. What did it want? Its resurrection for sure. Then what? Total dominance? Control over the Empire? Destruction of the Jedi and the Republic? Reconstruction of the Sith Order? Its intentions were a mystery to you, but you knew, all too well, you would play a strong part in the Sith Lord’s plan.

“Rest, my Apprentice,” you heard a low voice next to your ear, realizing that the figure was now hovering beside you. “You have done well, but your _true trials_ are not over yet.”

A lump formed in your throat as you listened to his dark and forbidding warning. Whatever you would face, you hoped it would make you strong enough to complete your own goals, to execute your own revenge. 

Darth Marauder watched his apprentice succumb to exhaustion, smirking to himself in thought. Although the mixed-blood, Darth Baras, was stronger than anticipated, his connection to the force could not match his own. This man… this mere _human_ who has claimed _his_ apprentice would pay greatly for this insolence. But all in due time, he chuckled. Baras’s connections and status could be proven useful in obtaining resources, as well as transportation and man-power. Yes, Baras was a fool, but an exploitable one. Soon enough, he would show his apprentice his true form. Soon, he will show the true power of the Dark Side of the Force.

A/N: hey, guys! Let me know what you think so far. 


	3. Dromund Kaas

You couldn’t wait to get off this planet. The stench of sweat, blood, and death of failed Sith Acolytes has sunk too deeply into the planet’s core, especially as of late. And it was all due to the Emperor and his new orders. Due to the ongoing war with the Republic, the ruler has issued an open Acolyte recruitment, allowing any force-sensitive candidate to enter the Sith Academy, all in pursuits of building a greater Sith army. Before the war, only individuals with documented Sith bloodline or high recommendations could enter. Now, the once great and private Academy was overpopulated, with too many of its students dying, too weak to compete with the naturally strong and gifted. 

You did not blame the Emperor for breaking traditions in time of war. In fact, the Jedi Counsel themselves began to admit force-sensitive students of various age groups in order to compete with the Empire, in order to increase their numbers. You snorted at the irony. Jedi--- protectors of peace in the Galaxy--- were nothing but war puppets to the Republic. Their “loyalty” to the Republic went so far as to even change their recruitment rules, as well as the number of years of training. They were popping Jedi Padawans and Jedi Knights left and right, sending them off to impossible missions with minimum training on their side. You felt anger towards the Order for filling the young and naive minds with promises of victory and peace. For almost fooling you.

“You shall be victorious because the Force is your ally,” you recalled your old Jedi Master saying. You rolled your eyes, realizing how arrogant and dangerous those words were. There were creatures far more powerful than a Jedi, and the sooner they understood that the better.

You passed by a decomposing body of a newly arrived Acolyte, covering your nose as the stench reached your nostrils. There were no funerals, no farewells in the sands of Korribans. Best case scenario, your lifeless body would be used for some Dark ritual. Such was a fate of the weak.

You did not feel sorry for your failed classmates because you couldn’t afford the luxury of pity, not when you had to take care of yourself. Pity, compassion… Those were Jedi traits, and you hated the Jedi for denying you further training, for taking away your lightsaber. You were a Sith Apprentice now, wielder of the Dark Side of the Force. You had no room for such weaknesses, you had no room for compassion and love. That old part of you was gone, buried under hatred and desire. You felt a reassuring heat radiating off your saber, looking down to see it glow. That’s right. You have chosen a different path for yourself, a darker path, one that would bring you power, and ultimately revenge. Something the Jedi would never allow.

You stopped in front of a security droid guarding a handful of imperial shuttles. You signed and inhaled the dry air of unforgiving blood-thirsty Korriban, looking up at the red sky in annoyance while the machine took its time to examine your Shuttle Pass.

“Passenger SA167, name: ________, age: 20, species: Human. Apprentice of: Darth Baras,” you waited for the robot to finish its monotone speech. “Proceed to shuttle DK 111 for immediate departure.”

You tightened your hand around the strap of your bag containing all of your belongings, keeping the most important one, the saber, close on your person. You stepped into imperial-based small aircraft designated for transport of no more than a small crue. It was an outdated model but clean and functional. You placed your baggage onto the designated area and set down on the available seat, strapping yourself in. 

“Welcome to DK 111, the Imperial shuttle service. I am FA-4 Pilot droid at your service…”

“Enough of your pleasantries,” you interrupted the piece of junk rudely, folding your arms impatiently. 

“As you wish. What is your destination?” the droid began to slowly lift the aircraft off the ground, safely escaping the Korriban’s atmosphere. 

“Dromund Kaas,” you replied flatly, seeing no purpose in being civil with a droid.

“My protocol enforces me to suggest the Imperial Fleet as your first…”

“And _my_ primary objective is Dromund Kaas!” you objected back feeling anger rise up in your throat. Droids could be so difficult sometimes. 

It took FA-4 another few moments of persuasion before the machine finally gave up and rerouted the route straight to Dromund Kaas. You felt a sudden shift and a harsh jerk, signifying the vehicle’s switch into hyperdrive. However, the sudden disturbance was only temporary, with the diagnostics stabilizing a moment later. You crossed your arms as you looked out the glass-reinforced window, watching the pretty colors of the hyperspace. 

_“The empire already wants to recruit you,”_ you heard a dark whisper in your ear, stiffening up suddenly. Your Master’s voice was hard to get used to after all. Of course. You weren’t at all surprised. Thankfully, the Sith had a lot more power in the Empire compared to the Jedi Knights in the Republic. Power and freedom to do whatever they wished, within certain limits. That was one of the reasons you switched sides.The Empire served the Sith, not the other way around.

_“Dromund Kaas is a lost capital of the Sith Empire,”_ the voice continued in its smooth dark tone. 

_“My people rediscovered it after the Great Hyperspace War, seeking to avoid extinction from the filthy Jedi,”_ you sensed a sharp change in temperature as your Master was reminded of his enemies. 

_“We settled there to resurrect the Order, building the Dark Temple in the name of Lord Vitiate. That is where you will go.”_

You blinked as you soaked in the information. You knew little of the Great Hyperspace War. You accessed the general archives on your wrist computer, still connected to the Korriban database. According to the Sith library, the Great War took place over a thousand years ago. You looked curiously at your glowing vibrosword, shifting it side to side to take in the details of craftsmanship, noticing how worn-out the blade was from age. How old _was_ your Master?

“You fought in the Great War?” you whispered quietly so the droid would not hear you.

 _“Indeed I have. I was one of the few survivors,”_ you sensed pride radiate off the dark force user.

“That was a thousand years ago,” you hissed with great concern and fear. How good was your Master if he was nothing but a decomposing skeleton now? You were second-guessing your sworn allegiance, considering Darth Baras as a potential candidate. At least Baras had a body and influence.

_“Then my resurrection is long overdue,”_ you sensed rage in his words, recognizing the dark master’s influence taking over your body again. You tried to fight the unwanted intrusion but he was simply too powerful, trained in the forgotten ancient arts of Sith sorcery.

_“There are many mysteries you fail to comprehend, my young Apprentice,..”_ you heard the husky venomous voice inside your head. The invasion was most unwelcomed, sending jolts of pain throughout your brain and spinal cord the more you resisted. This was a clear display of power and dominance.

_“Mysteries that Darth Baras envies to uncover,..”_ your nails dug into the inside of your palm drawing blood as the pain intensified. Burning, electrifying sensation was spreading through your nerve endings like wildfire with no way to stop. Your bit onto your lip staying as quiet as possible. How did he know of your thoughts of potential treachery? Have they already established an unbreakable Master and Apprentice bond? Was your Master envious at the thought of your betrayal or at the thought of you joining Darth Baras in particular? 

_“Mysteries of which I am the master of,”_ the pain suddenly dissipated leaving behind a dull ache over your body. You instinctively relaxed, feeling blood pulsate through your veins as if previously blocked. Yes, the Ancient Sith was indeed powerful and full of knowledge, even in his disembodied state. You were a fool to challenge him or to compare to Darth Baras. Anger radiated within you at your foolish thoughts, which have caused you nothing but pain and fear.

“I will not doubt your greatness again, Master,” you replied through your teeth trying to calm your ragged breathing. The spirit’s constant display of dominance irritated you greatly, his power making you feel like a worthless sloppy youngling. His overbearing force made you feel weak, intensifying your self-hatred even more. You hated how the Dark Master made you feel, yet you craved the power he has promised to unleash and teach.

The sudden change in acceleration made the aircraft jolt as the droid exited the hyperspace. Your eyes landed on the planet Dromund Kaas, grey with densely-built architecture of Kaas City and green from the surrounding jungle. Two thirds of the planet’s surface was covered in stormy clouds, jolts of lighting visible from space. The aura was laced with the Dark Side of the Force, similar to Korriban but much more… alive.

The Space port was located far away from the main city, surrounded by dense jungle inhabited by vicious creatures like Yozusk, Sleen, and Vine Cat. It was said that many of the young Siths hunted those creatures for sport and power or to prove themselves worthy. And then, on the other side of the planet, there was The Dark Temple.

You exited the shuttle in a hurry, pulling the strand of your bag on your shoulder. The Dark Master was still residing within you, deciding to take refuge inside your body rather than the blade. His presence made you feel violated yet strangely powerful, confident, and safe… despite the fact that he could end your life if he so wished.

The port was highly guarded by the Imperial militia, who was checking everyone’s passes and scanning anyone they deemed “suspicious.” Of course, that meant anyone non-human or non-Sith, leaving other alien races to blatant racism. Being a Sith and a human granted you a free pass to the boarding computers. You didn’t care about anyone else, passing by them without making eye-contact.

You entered your shuttle pass number onto the port computer in order to gain registration and entry. The Facial Scanner registered and confirmed your identity within the system. Great, now you were part of the Empire, and there was no going back to the Republic even if you wanted to.

“________ identified. Clearance level: A. Authorized by: Darth Baras. Starting allowance: 5,000 credits,” the computer dispensed your own personal Imperial Identification card. “Credits are transferred to your personal bank account. Please visit Automated Bank Station for withdrawals.”

You blinked looking at your official Imperial card which gave you a higher rank and clearance than you anticipated. The amount of power and respect devoted to Sith was impressive. You looked around noticing a person you did not recognise trying to get your attention. Your hand instinctively grabbed the handle of your blade as the scrawny human male ran up to you.

“You’re the one, yes. Not like the scabs that exited the shuttles before you. You radiate power, Lord. I bow before you,” you arched a confused brow as the man spoke in a shaky voice, bowing to you respectfully. Was this some sort of Sith custom? You were very confused, keeping the hold onto your sword tightly.

“I serve Lord Baras,” the man spoke quickly before you could ask his business with you. “He sent me to meet his new Apprentice. And I made sure I was here on time. I certainly did. Yes, I did.” 

You loosened your grip instantly, eyeing the mentally unstable man closely. You were more than certain that the man was tortured. You could smell fear on him a mile away. 

_“Baras is not treating you with respect by sending this low life to greet you,”_ you heard a dark voice in your head belonging to your Master. Indeed, you couldn’t agree more.

“Baras should have met me himself,” you interjected.

“Oh, uh, it-t it is not my place to question the master,” the bald human man stuttered nervously. 

“I’m just a slave who owes his every breath to the tolerance of Lord Baras,” that line sounded very rehearsed. “He said to introduce you to Dromund Kaas, and I take that seriously.”

You heard an annoyed hiss inside your head. Your Dark Master was getting irritated the more the human spoke. Before you could do anything, he took control and replied for you:

“Your breathing is now dependent on my tolerance as well,” you could sense the threat laced behind those lines. Poor servant casted his eyes down signifying his submission.

“Yes, my Lord. I exist by your good grace,” his voice was shaky. You found the interaction almost amusing. Here was a man you’ve never met calling you “his Lord” and treating you like royalty. Oh, the lengths the people were willing to go to when fearing death. Sad and pathetic.

“Lord Baras ordered me to encourage you to explore Kaas City before reporting to him. Imperials maintain the order, but they won’t bother you,” he casted a barely noticeable slide of hand towards the direction of Imperial guards. You regarded their presence, feeling more confident about your new rank status. Sure, they maintain the order but the Sith are the ones who held the power.

“When you’re ready, Lord Baras will meet you in his personal chambers,” the last words made you frown at their intonation. You did not like the sound of that at all and neither did your Dark Master. 

“You, uh, you will tell Lord Baras I was good, yes? That I served well?” this was a clear plea, the man was begging! Disgust and bile rose up your throat making you gag just by looking at him.

“I’m afraid that would be a lie,” you simply stated, trying to end the conversation. The greetings were not pleasant at all. If anything the whole interaction was awkward and could have been done by hologram transmission with Baras. 

“A lie? But I--I thought I performed the task with complete commitment. Is that not so, lord?” you rolled your eyes trying your best not to backhand the slave in the face. Realizing that this pathetic creature was just doing his job, you decided to agree with him just to end the conversation. His groveling stopped being amusing a long time ago.

_“You have much to learn, young one,”_ you heard a dark displeased voice in your head, realizing what the Master wanted you to do. He wanted you to punish the man. 

_“A mere slave could not be permitted to question a Sith,”_ a chill ran down your spine.

**_“Kill him.”_ **

The grip tightened on your saber, but your arm remanded stiff. Surely, death seemed like a steep punishment for a simple backtalk. Previously, you only killed if you had to, but this… this was just slaughter. This didn’t feel right. This man was not your enemy, he did not stand between you and your goal. This man was nothing, and whether he lived or died made no difference to you. So then, why not just let him live the rest of his miserable life?

_“Compassion is your weakness!”_ you heard a hiss that made you cringe in fear and anger. 

_“You must strike your enemies and those beneath us without hesitation! Such is the way of the Sith.”_

You felt conflicted, not wanting to slaughter some nobody yet having no desire to anger your Master any further. A slave’s life was not worth the trouble, especially if it resulted in negative consequences for you.

“My Lord? You will say I served well, yes?” the human continued, confused by your silence. 

A wave of powerful unbearable rage took control over your body the second the slave opened his mouth. You have never been so enthralled in hatred in your entire life. It almost felt...unnatural, foreign.

_“You dare question me?!”_ you seethed out your words, spit flying out of your mouth in anger. As if on instinct, you activated your vibrosword and advanced after the slave who began to retreat.

“What did I do?! No!” were his last words before you sliced at his torso, leaving his body motionless on the grey floor. 

“ _And that is how it is done,”_ a smooth dark sadistic voice spoke inside your head. You were breathing hard, trying to register the sequence of events that happened before your mere eyes. You just killed a man for “questioning you.” Were you really okay with that? But how was that different from killing Vemrin, your Sith rival? How was that different from killing other Acolytes who attacked you? You knew the difference all too well… the slave could not even fight back. You felt unclean, disgraced even.

You watched as the Imperial Militia went about their day, barely noticing a dead body on the floor of their space port. Some have radioed a cleaning crew to the site, but no one has approached you at all. Death of lower personnel by Sith seemed like a common occurrence in these parts. You deactivated your vibrosword and began to walk towards Spaceport Expanse.

_“I sense the Light in you,”_ the words almost made you freeze. This was not good.

_“And yet you do not choose to follow it.”_

“I have seen what the light side of the Force can do and I am not impressed, Master,” you spoke quietly under your breath so that others could not hear you.

_“As you should. But this revelation is quite troubling. I am certain my teachings will dissipate the connection you’ve made. If you follow my orders precisely, soon we will eradicate the Light side within you_ ** _forever.”_** His last words were laced with toxic but irresistibly sweet venom that lured you in even more. The seduction of power was too great to resist, nor did you even want to. 

“Yes, Master,” you said, smirking to yourself. Soon all of these feelings of guilt will be gone and you would never have to second-guess your actions again. Guilt was nothing but a fabrication of your own imagination designed to hold you back. Never again shall you fall into the trap of the Light Side of the Force. Never again shall you let it dictate your life.

A/N: the dialogue between Reader and the Slave was provided by "Star Wars the Old Republic" Sith Warrior gameplay. Also, the Dark Master influenced the Reader to kill the slave in order to make her connection to the Dark Side stronger.   
Let me know what you guys think. Yes, the Reader was trained as a Jedi at some point but obviously something has happened to make her dislike the order. Sooner than later her past will haunt her.


	4. The Jungle

You were not particularly overwhelmed with exploring Dromund Kaas. You were briefly aware of its significance and history now, but the wonder that Baras expected you to have was absent. To you the city was nothing but another Sith-occupied planet, a symbol of power, hidden from The Republic and the Jedi Order. You could make helpful powerful connections during your stay, strengthen your relationship among useful and influential individuals, but that would only prove fruitful if you sought long-term plans with the Empire. Fortunately, you did not seek such loyalties, despite obvious benefits. 

From what your instructors have taught you in the Academy, raw power was not the only way to influence others or to become a successful member of The Dark Council---an ultimate goal for many power-hungry Sith. The Dark Council was a twelve-membered hive that acted as the ruling body of the entire Sith Empire. To enter the council was to bestow a title of The Dark Lord of the Sith upon yourself, a title directly underneath that of the Emperor. To become the Dark Lord was to become your own Master, finally breaking the chains of restrictions. But to achieve that, one had to make connections, plotting and scheming within the Sith circle itself to rise to the top… something you had no desire to do... no desire to pursue. 

Sith politics were the least of your interests at the moment. As of now, your priorities were on getting stronger, more powerful, more ruthless, less hesitant. You wanted to destroy the light the Jedi have implanted into you with their idiotic teachings. The Light would not help you this time. The Light never went well with pursuit of revenge. That was the reason for joining the order and leaving it. This was the reason for your “betrayal.”

Betrayal. You scoffed. From the start your interests did not align with the Jedi. Stricken with grief and desire for revenge, you foolishly swore an oath to protect those who were weak from the Sith, to eradicate them, to bring an end to the War. Filled with a sense of self-righteous vengeance, you thought it was your destiny to eliminate the Empire along with the Sith Lord that killed your family. You shook your head. Your intentions were selfish from the start, you were just too blind to see it.

Now… Now you did whatever you wanted, followed your own path, made your own rules, without the moral Jedi code constantly slapping your wrist. You were free. For now.

You advanced towards the Imperial Taxi services, having already withdrawn sufficient enough of money to get you straight to the Capital. But a disapproving growl stopped you dead in your tracks.

 _“Apprentice,”_ you heard a low husky whisper in your head, making you cast your eyes down and step away from the Taxi droid. The sky was blazing with approaching thunderstorms, blocking the setting sun and casting impending shadow upon the SpacePort and the surrounding forest. If you didn’t call a taxi now, you would be entrapped by the powerful winds of the dark storm, having to spend the night in space station of all places to wait it out.

_“No. A true Apprentice of the Dark Lord of the Sith will conquer the jungle before daring to approach the Capital!”_

The hiss sent shivers down your spine, the electrifying voice frightening you into a panic. You cast an anxious glance at the sky, feeling the powerful clouds approach closer.

“We should wait out the storm,” you spoke cautiously, not wanting to anger the Dark Master. You stood off to the side watching as multiple individuals hurriedly boarded the spreaders.

 _“No,”_ the finality of his words cut off any hope you had of getting to the Kaas City safely. _“You will get to the Capital on foot.”_

Anger surged through you and your hand instinctively tightened around the handle of the saber strapped to your side. Was the Sith Lord trying to kill you?! Or did he simply enjoy watching you suffer?! Your free hand curled into a tight fist, leather gloves squeaking under intense pressure.

“If that is what you wish, _Master,_ ” you speak through gritted teeth, approaching a Med-Tech droid with long decisive strides.

“How can I be of service?” the machine spoke in its monotone voice. Without replying, you shove enough credits into its coin dispenser to get five medpacks, thrusting them aggressively into your bag. That is all you could afford at the moment, but you were too angry to return to the bank station to withdraw more.

 _“This mission is the assessment of your survival skills,”_ you frowned and growled, striding towards the jungle, trying your best to ignore the hidden intimidation in his dark husky voice.

 _“Normally, a Sith Apprentice is sent with nothing but their blades,”_ the words intoned in your head with a warning.

“Apparently not,” you bit back, your eyes focusing on a Sith Apprentice riding a vehicle straight to the Kaas City. You fought an urge to outstretch your hand and use the force to shove the Sith student off their ride. If you had to survive on foot, then so should they.

 _“The ways of the weak should not concern you, Apprentice,”_ the anger radiated off his tone in waves, drying out your throat in anxiety.

 _“They have forgotten what Sith are and what they stand for. But I have not, and nor will_ ** _you_** _,”_ you narrowed your eyes at the moving speeders, scowling at the privilege they did not understand. 

“Yes, Master,” you responded in compliance, feeling aggravated at the predicament. Just because your Master believed in teachings of the ancients did not mean you had to, right? This was obviously a training exercise, dangerous, obscure, and unforgiving, but one that produced great results… if you survived.

You bit your lip furiously. None of the Sith’s Apprentices had to undergo such training, none but you. You watched in envy as an officer used the last of Empire Speeder Taxi to zap through the dense jungle ahead, fast enough to avoid dangers of the residential dark-forced creature, fast enough to make it to the Capital before the storm. You growled, following the trail, blade at the ready, searching for jungle predators hiding in the greens of the forest. The storm has fully approached now, darkening your vision, forcing you to use your Force sensitivity for directions.

 _“I will allow you the comfort of StimPacks for now,”_ the threatening voice sounded a bit less stern as you continued to walk, your boots brushing against the tall jungle grass. 

_“But mark my words, Apprentice. You will have no need for them as long as you follow my teachings,”_ The Dark Master spoke in a velvety tone, promising more power than you could ever imagine possessing. Such promise made you elated with dark thoughts of slashing the head of the Sith who killed your family.

“Yes, my Master,” you knew he was seducing you further to the Dark Side of the Force, but you did not care, nor did you want to resist. Obtaining power was more important than your current allegiance to the Force, which has been shaken and distorted as of late.

 _“Good,”_ his murmur sent chills down your spine. With your current euphoria for the promise of power, you failed to register the satisfaction laced in the Sith Lord’s voice. 

_“Now be ready, little one,”_ you felt a husky whisper in your ear, making you unconsciously blush. _“The jungle is filled with Force-sensitive creatures. They know you’re here.”_

Your eyes darted across the grey trunks of the jungle, spotting a tail of a Vine Cat lurking around. You heightened your senses, feeling adrenaline pumping through your arteries as the predator perked its head, sensing your Force register in the air. Both of your hands tightened around the saber, its red hue the only thing lighting the forest floor.

The predator pounced, its sharp scales directed at you, its paws leaving claw-like tracks on the ground. It opened its mouth, letting out a fearsome growl, as it got near and near with each millisecond.

A scowl formed on your usually attractive face, jaw muscle tightening, sparkling white teeth showing off aggressively. You roared back swinging your saber across the Vine Cat’s head, slicing at its snarl diagonally. But the blade did not pierce deep enough, allowing the monster to nib at your arm. If it wasn’t for the protective Force Cacoon you had around you, it would have pierced skin. Its jaw tightened around your left forearm, pulling on it as it tried dragging you to its layer. You roared in anger and defiance to succumb, shifting you hold on the sword and impaling the blade straight into the creature’s head. The strong jaws released you, it’s eyes rolling on the back of its head as it lost its footing and dropped to the ground.

You breathed heavily looking down at the defeated predator, feeling powerful and hungry for more.

“Is this all you’ve got?!” you screeched into nothing, the winds of the storm picking up your voice and spreading across the entire jungle. The euphoric feeling of taking the life of a menacing killing-machine was clouding your judgement. You were heaving, your chest lifting up and down, as your hand tightened around your weapon. You embraced the sense of power, feeling unstoppable, feeling untouchable. You wanted more. You wanted to stab, to kill, to impale. You wanted to bring those powerful creatures to their knees before you. You wanted to dominate.

Your eyes shined bright yellow as you strode across the jungle, focused, reaching out with the force for any living creature, daring them to attack you. And they did not disappoint your hunger.

Two Yozusks startled by your aggressive foreign Force signature attacked from the front, defending their territory as you confidently continued striding. One charged straight on, using the thick stone-like hood of its head to collide with you, while the other brought its clawed hands up to swing at you. You sneered and dodged the aggressors, their larger size making them slow and bulky, easy to avoid. You brought up the blade right underneath the jaw of one of them, shoving your sword with all your strength to pierce straight through the skull. You growled as you sensed the monster’s companion swing its claw at you, forcing you to abandon your deeply impaled blade in the dead creature. Feeling your anger rise you instinctively pushed at the moving Yozusk with all your might, using the Force to shove it as far away as you could. It growled as its stone-like back collided with a tree trunk. Showing off your mendibles, you pulled at the blade with your body-weight, finally releasing it from the confounding bounds of the dead predator’s skull. 

Sensing danger to your right, you straightened up immediately, clouding your body with a dark red Force cocoon that barely saved your life. A Slothful Sleen has joined the fight, its strong reptilian jaw managing to bite through your Force Shield and chew the surface of your breast plate. Completely enraged, you used the Force to spring its jaw open until you heard a crack, slicing at its snout to ensure the kill. You looked down at your armor, finally noticing how deep the cut was, but thankfully, it did not reach the skin. A reptilian mouth was packed with microbials far too strong to treat with a simple StimPack. You had to be more careful.

Your fiery eyes landed on the remaining Yozusk, who shook its head from the previous blow. You shoved your sword across the air with the Force, sending its sharpest edge straight into the predator’s left eye. It screeched and dropped to the ground, its frontal and occipital lobes penetrated. 

You growled in anger, using your newly heightened senses to seek anymore creatures, finding none in your proximity. Outratching your dominant hand, you called upon your trusted blade, its worn leather handle landing on top of your waiting fingers. You feel complete, sensing ownership over the ancient artifact.

 _“Good,”_ you heard a pleased whisper. _“Do you feel it, Apprentice?”_ the dark velvety voice caressed your skin. _“The power of the Dromund Kaas storms?”_ Purple lightning suddenly illuminated your surroundings, revealing a grotesque scene before you. You were covered in blood, your tunic soaked in hot sticky serum, multiple mauled bodies laying before you. The scene was gone as soon as you heard thunder. You were right underneath the storm, feeling its winds caress your blood-stained face.

 _“They are the embodiments of the Dark Side,”_ your Master continued murmuring inside your head, his voice enthralling and chilling. 

_“Meditate on them, let them fuel your strength,”_ you felt a brush of a finger against your cheek but it was too dark to see anything in front of you. 

The Dark Master was more than pleased with the turn of events. His Apprentice, who used to walk the path of the Light Side, has now embraced the power of the Dark Side. So willing, so compliant, so… pure. He could feel her desire to kill and dominate those beneath her growing stronger and stronger. Good. He could feel her desire to maul anything in her way, anything that stood between her and the power. Excellent. She was raw, almost untethered by the teachings of the New Order. Precious. Her mind was his to mold, to shape, to control. Her inexperience in the Dark Side of the Force would make things so much simpler. She will learn everything!

You looked down at your chest calming down from your murderous rage, feeling a slight sting underneath your armor. Kriff, that beast managed to get you! You had to treat the minor wound as soon as possible, otherwise the infection would spread.

Using the dull illuminating glow of your blade, you managed to find a wood trunk of a tall tree, climbing on top of it as far as you could to avoid the predators. You discovered a comfortable position to address your “scratch,” unclipping the breast plate and taking off the uncomfortably wet tunic. Maker, the beast chewed threw! Undoing your chest wrappings, you felt the cool night air graze the skin of your exposed breasts. Feeling angry with yourself for letting this happen, you took out the newly purchased StimPack and pressed it into the teeth marks. Hot sensation radiated throughout, inducing inflammation as the small wounds closed. At least like this you wouldn’t get any more infections. But you knew, this wasn’t enough to kill the microbes that have already entered your systemic circulation. You needed a stronger serum and fast. 

You blinked and jolted when you saw the figure of your Dark Master hovering three feet away, watching you, his hood covering its face. You felt scrutinized and cast your eyes away, ashamed at your lack of caution when fighting the beast, failing and unwilling to register your current female vulnerability.

“I know,” you spoke, rewrapping your chest bindings tightly, your jaw clenching in anger. Why the hell was he just floating there staring?

“How long until I reach the Capital?” you asked, trying to make good use of your reduced time.

“Two days worth,” he responded looking in the direction of the city. “You won’t make it on your own, which means you failed.” His voice was uncharacteristically calm.

“Now hold on!” you spoke in anger and frustration. “You know these woods, don’t you? You know how to treat these bites!” You pointed your gloved finger at the spirit accusingly, enraged that your Master would abandon you without at least pointing you to the right direction.

 _“Yes, I do, Apprentice,”_ the shadow turned around gleaming at you, its red eyes illuminating the tree bark around you. _“But it is dangerous. Far more dangerous than a Sleen. Are you willing to risk your life again?”_ The figure moved closer to you, a shadowy face bending down, mere centimeters from you. _“It is far easier to return to the SpacePort and retrieve antibiotics from the droid…”_

This was a trick, it had to be. Your Dark Master would never want you to follow the easy path, not after the dramatic fiasco you experienced with the Taxi. He was testing you, testing your will.

“I will not fail, Master,” you spoke through the clenched jaw, getting up and adjusting your breast plate, now wearing your full armor. You glared up at the Sith who hasn’t changed his proximity to you. Your eyes met his, unwilling to back down in your determination.

“I will prove that I am worthy. I will get stronger and I _will not_ die!” you gloved hand tightened around the handle of the red sword.

“Very good,” a creepy sneer crossed the shadowy face, showing off teeth. “There is a fungus that grows inside caves inhabited by Gundarks. It has natural properties to fight off infections.”

Lightning illuminated the jungle for a split second, enough for you to notice another Sneer trying to climb the trunk of your tree, drawn to the smell of blood. You leaped down, aiming for the head as you used the weight of your body for impaling impact, your knees trapping the jaw of the giant lizard to the ground. With one swift strong pull, the blade was back by your side, engulfed in blood. The Dark Master was already near you, his illuminating eyes helping you to identify his presence.

Thunder roared again, muffing the words that came out of his parted lips. You didn’t bother asking him to repeat himself. You could feel a snide comment in the air. He was scolding you.

You looked around, not seeing much in the twilight of stormy clouds. You wished you had a better source of light than an old vibrosword...you wished you had your blue lightsaber back. You huffed in annoyance, reaching with the Force to explore your surroundings. That was your old life, there is no point to mandle in the past.

You listened, hearing soft grass, chirping insects, hissing Vine Cats, roaring Yozusks in the distance. You listened deeper, typing to find any signs of water and moisture, hearing cries of students eaten alive by the monsters instead, failing to the jaws of the predators. You heard their limbs being torn and chewed on. The sloshing sounds of meat against teeth, powerful jaw colliding with itself as the monster chewed. You pulled back, breathing hard and holding onto your head. What did you just hear? Your veins were painfully throbbing in your brain.

 _“That was visions of the past, Apprentice, nothing more,”_ came a soothing voice at your side. _“Do not dwell on the failure of others. Focus on your destination.”_

You closed your eyes to collect your thoughts attempting to reach with the Force one more time. The grass, the insects, the Vine Cats, the Yozusks...the waterfall, the frogs, the stream… the low rumbles of a sleeping beast...the echoes, the puffs of the fungi releasing spores. You opened your eyes in resolve, locating a cave not too far from here.

You walked cautiously, feeling the power of the Dromund Kaas storm feed your strength, but you had restraint now, unwilling to release your fury all at once. You knew better than charging blindly into the unforeseen territory now, despite how amazing it felt. The last thing you needed was unnecessary battle. Your little “bite” accident has taught you all you needed to know. The Dark Side was powerful, yes, but needed control; otherwise it would consume you from within.

You tried your best to hide your Force signature, attempting to stay concealed within the shadow of the stormy night. Such a task proved to be challenging since you had to simultaneously reach out with the Force to sense your surroundings. You continued moving on, taking each step consciously, letting the Force guide you to the cave.

Another lightning illuminated your surroundings. You grunted as you spotted a large amphibian-like creature standing on its back legs a hundred feet away, sniffing the air. About two hundred feet away you could see a cave and near it some flowing water. Excellent, you were in the right place.

“Jurgorans, powerful beasts,” the Dark Master spoke in a whisper. “Gundarks’ natural enemy.”

His comment intrigued you, but the Sith Lord refused to elaborate any further, giving you a knowing smirk as your eyes connected with his bright red.

“Care to explain further, Master?” you spoke in a hissing whisper, watching the giant creature closely. It has not detected you yet.

“No,” came a soft murmur, laced with tease. You scoffed in reply but didn’t say anything. 

You did not want to fight this beast, especially not when infected by a Sneer. Perhaps there was a way around it to the cave?

You crouched, using your smaller body to sneak around the Jurgoran, who kept sniffing the air, flicking its tongue. You dulled your presence as much as you could, staying as quiet as possible as your boots carefully stepped upon the forest floor. You hid behind a rock as the Jurgoran walked around, intrigued by the taste of blood in the air, but unable to pinpoint its location. You cursed at your bloodsoaked tunik.

Managing to find a smaller rock, you used the Force to lift it and throw it across the forest in the direction away from you, startling the giant amphibian. It turned its back moving away, allowing you precious time to sneak past it towards the cave. Thankfully it was right by the flowing water, making it easier to stay undetected. You listened closely, hearing soft growls from inside.

“A sleeping Gundark,” you heard an amused whisper next to you. You knew your Master was hinting at something, his mouth forming into a knowing smirk. Since when did he start to smirk?! You shook your head from useless thoughts, reaching out with the Force to feel a powerful sleeping creature laying on its belly.

Then something click in your head. If Gundarks and Jurgorans hated each other, then couldn’t you wake Gundark up and lead it to the Jurgoran? Your eyes connected with the Sith Lord’s who tilted his head at you in ridicule. You felt like a Padawan again being observed by your Master, watching what you would do in the “obvious” situation. Your jaw tightened at the obvious mocking. 

Using the power of the storm as well as your anger, you lifted a sizable rock and threw it at the dark caverns of the cave. You heard a collision and a loud unhappy roar. Eyes widening you climbed on top of the cave’s small oversight, hiding in the shadows of the bushes. Your jaw dropped as a large anthropoid animal with sizable batlike ears charged out of the hiding, looking around...hearing out its territory, trying to find the intruder.

A loud hiss irked its attention as the Jurgoran was finally able to smell his natural rival. The two locked eyes with each other as the storm’s lightning illuminated the territory one more time. Roars echoed across the jungle as the two monsters charged at each other, claws scratching at their thickened hide, teeth tearing at the soft parts of flesh. You listened closely, unable to see anything in the dark twilight of the storm, fearfully hiding away from the danger. Those two creatures were far too large for you to take by yourself, let along at the same time. Waiting was a smart decision, a cunning decision, one that would ensure your survival. 

You were learning so much so fast about the ways of the Sith. Charging blindly, drunk with power, was a sure way to get killed, but it didn’t mean you couldn’t use it to your advantage. It was all about choosing the right time, choosing when to control the Darkness and when letting it control you. You now knew if you fully succumbed to the Dark Side of the Force it would tear at you and destroy you. You had to conquer it before it conquered you. You had to learn to command it, wield it, control it. You were its Master, not the other way around.

Lightning sparked above you one more time. Your throat tightened as you saw the Gundark pin the Jurgodan down with its powerful back leg. Both monsters looked equally injured, deep slashes covering their leathery skins. Both were equally strong, equally matched, but the Gundark managed to get the upper hand, leaning down swiftly and ripping the amphibian’s neck off. You covered your mouth in disgust as the surroundings were engulfed by the darkness again, continuing to hear the gurgling roars of fatally injured Jurgodan. The sloshing sounds of teeth tearing at soaking meat reached your ears and you tried holding in the fluids in your stomach.

You reached out with the Force, trying your best to stay undetected as you assessed the condition of the hideous but victorious beast. A chunk of muscle was missing from its left leg, no doubt ripped off by the defeated Jurgodan. Its right shoulder bore a deep cut, gushing out blood as its heart continued to pump. A severed artery, thank the Stars! You felt the Gundark lower itself to the ground, trying its best to stay conscious, losing too much blood in the process. You sighed in relief, feeling its life Force fading.

 _“Are you learning, Apprentice?”_ you heard a satisfied deep voice next to you, startling you. Your eyes connected with the glowing red. The Sith Lord was far wiser than you anticipated and a great teacher too. The lesson was finally clear. Why attack your enemies blinded by rage when you could pull the strings and let them destroy each other? It was a lesson of cunning and manipulation. 

“I am, Master” you replied, locking your eyes with the red orbs, staring at him appraisingly. 

The Dark Side of the Force was nothing like you anticipated, nothing like the Academy has taught you. Sure, the instructors have explained the importance of cunning strategies in politics, but you didn’t take their words seriously until now. You used to think that information was useless. You had no idea the Sith practiced a type of balance, knowing when to attack and when to lay low and wait. Patience was just as effective as wrath in the enemy’s destruction, so it seemed.

Your eyes darted towards the direction of the fresh beastly corpse. The cave could serve as a good hide-out until your full recovery, which meant you had to clear out the meat before any more monsters showed up for the feast. You dropped from the top of the cave’s hill, outstretching your gloved hand in concentration, reaching out with the Force.

 _“Concentrate. Use your anger. Feel the power of the storm resonate through you. Use it, command it,”_ dark sultry voice whispered into your ear, making you frown in its obvious distraction. You tried to follow the instructions but found the hot breath against your earlobe too intrusive. You stepped to the side in annoyance, outstretching your arm one more time, closing your eyes. The Dark Master had to learn some boundaries.

Focusing on the fateful day of the attack, you reached with your feelings, trying to recreate the same emotions you felt that day. Anger, despair, fear, and grief clouded your mind instantly, as if repressed and locked away all this time. You saw the faces of your dead family, the mauled bodies of your entire village, and the back of the Sith Lord broadcasting the event to a holonet. You wanted nothing but to strangle that son of a Kriff, rip his head off, and smash it with a rock. You opened your eyes, its normal hue turning gold, tears spilling out as you scowled and used the Force to lift the heavy carcasses off the ground, pushing them as far away as you possibly could. Their bodies landed far away from the clearing, stopped only by the trunks of large trees. Your eyes widened at the raw power of the Dark Side, intoxicating, yet demanding.

You dropped your shaking hand and wiped your tears, stepping into the cave, using the vibrosword as the light to guide you. The shadow of your Dark Master followed closely, observing your attempt at composure. As instantly as your emotions came, they were repressed deep down, buried beneath your calm stoic visage.

“There,” you crouched down noticing a tiny mushroom. “Is this what we came for?” your eyes darted towards the hovering hooded figure, who nodded at you. You picked up the shroom with your gloved hand, cutting its stem, and placing it in the pocket of your tunik. You used the light of your blade to eliminate the cave, its walls reflecting and bending the radiance, tainting the surroundings red. You used the Force to stay vigilant as you crouched down and picked more of the fungi before finally having enough to treat your wound.

 _“You need to deactivate the spores before applying that topically,”_ you blinked looking at the shadow. _“You need heat.”_

Which meant you needed to make a fire. You set down trying to focus your senses on the forest flow beyond the clearing, looking for dry twigs and branches. You frowned, jaw tightening as you concentrated, outstretching your hand. You could go looking for them physically, but it was too dark to see and too dangerous to wonder with other predatory creatures stalking about. 

It was challenging lifting an inanimate object without seeing it, but you tried your hardest to connect with the Force, feeling it go through you, through the jungle, through the dead forest floor, through the dry branches. You bit your lip and sensed the trunks flying your way, unnoticed by the jungle’s beasts. You looked down in satisfaction at the timber at your side. Now for the water.

You smirked at your steel can that you’ve acquired in camping emergencies such as these. Using the Force, you repeated the process, floating the container to the water and scooping an adequate amount. It landed near your feet. You smiled at your success.

Shifting your supplies deeper into the cave, you assembled your makeshift fire pit, arranging the rocks in a circle for support. You stripped the branches off its dry leaves to use as a fire starter, laying out the cut-up trunks with enough space for the fire to breath. You assembled a makeshift elevator out of rocks, hooking your water-filled can with the branch and lifting it above the soon-to-be flame, placing it on top of the boulders to hang. Digging in your purse, you set down on the rocky floor and pulled out waterproof matches. 

You stroke the match and placed it into the bundle of dry leaves, which ignited immediately. Fire brightened up the cave, making you feel safer instantly. But the flame was dying, and dying quickly. Before having the chance to take out another match, you heard a soft scoff and looked up to see the Dark Master staring at you. He lifted his hand, moving it slowly and sensually above the fire, as if dancing along with it. The flames began to grow, engulfing the dry twigs completely. Mesmerised, you watched the Sith Lord skillfully control the element, his shadowy finger caressing the flame, calling onto you.

You jolted from his hypnosis, frowning at your lack of attention. Casting your eyes away, you took out the collected shrooms. You were about to place the bundle of fungi into the water but a solid shadow hand stopped you, grabbing your wrist. Your eyes connected with red orbs.

 _“Steam is hotter than boiling water,”_ the huskiness of Dark Master’s voice sent confusing chills down your body. You blinked in confusion but caught onto his train of thought quickly. The mushrooms had to be steamed right above the boiling water to destroy the spores. Of course. 

You felt a finger caress the skin of your wrist causing you to abruptly withdraw your hand. Your eyes widened at the sudden intimate gesture, silently asking for your Master’s explanation, but the spirit acted like no such act even happened. Frowning you cast your eyes to the ground, watching the Sith Lord continue to play with fire, feeding the flames to increase the heat.

Deciding to keep yourself busy, you ripped the hem of your tunik, placing the fungi inside the fabric, crushing it into smaller pieces with a rock. You continued to grind as your dark companion concentrated on the fire, bringing the water to a boil much more quickly than physically possible. You wondered if it was his own little survival trick he picked up in his youth. 

You placed the cloth above the steam, leaning against the wall of the cave since you had nothing to do but wait. The more you relaxed the more you felt a stab at your chest, frowning at your breastplate. The StimPack must be wearing off. You needed to keep the area inflamed to stop the spread of infection. Unhooking the armor and sliding the tunic off to one side, you stabbed the artificial medicine into your chest without undoing your breast wrappings this time. You felt hungry eyes across the cave, making you feel uncomfortable. Your eyes connected with the red, challenging them to do something, frowning in anger. You refused to feel vulnerable, holding your gaze stubbornly. A dark amused chuckle echoed across the walls of the cave.

 _“Don’t get so defensive, Apprentice,”_ the tone of his voice was cheery yet sensual. _“It’s been a whole millenia! A man can only endure so much.”_

Your eyes widened at the awkwardness of the joke, casting them to the side. His dark laughter filled the air at your reaction, making you flustered with aggravation. You curled yourself into a ball protectively, waiting for the shrooms to be ready. Did he enjoy getting a rise out of you? That sadistic bastard.

 _“You have done well so far,”_ his voice suddenly got serious, alerting you to hold his gaze again. _“Now that you know how dangerous the Dark Side is, you learned to respect its power,”_ the Sith spirit lifted a small flame in his hand, hoverning it close to his hooded face. 

_“I will teach you control,”_ he hissed and the flame erupted in his hand, coming close to you. You felt its dangerous heat but it never burned you; regardless, you covered your face instinctively. The flame retreated back into your Master’s hand, dancing against his moving digits. 

You watched in envy, wishing you had enough talent and knowledge to control an element too.

“ _In time,_ ” the hooded figure added with a smile, sending the flame back into its original place. 

You both set in silence staring at the dancing fire, waiting for the fungi to cook. You felt your eyes close, as the orange flames hypnotised your senses, the warmth of the fire almost lulling you to sleep. Only now, you realized how tired you felt, how exhausted your muscles were.

Suddenly, the fabric was lifted off the fire, the Dark Master jolting you from your sleep-induced state.

You frowned in contemplation but decided against preserving your dignity, especially when your life was on the line. You undid the wrappings around your chest to reveal an inflamed wound. You cursed silently at the spread of infection.

 _“I will make the incision,”_ The Sith Lord spoke coldly, all the previous humor about your propriety gone, along with the hungry stare. You frowned at the statement, your eyes briefly connecting with the red, but nodded, giving your consent to the mutilating task. Anything to survive at this point. 

_“I will squeeze the serum into the wound,”_ the Master spoke, placing the vibrosword into the fire to disinfect the blade. _“Then I will cauterize it.”_

Your jaw tightened harshly at his words, but you nodded, biting your lip to prepare yourself. You watched as the Dark Master removed his blade from the burning fire, bringing it closer to your flesh.

 _“Embrace the pain, Apprentice,”_ he smirked and slashed across your inflamed breast. Nails dug deep into your hand, as you tried your best to stay quiet and still, seething through your teeth. Looking down, you saw thick mucus-like liquid gushing out of your open skin, foul-smelling and infected. The StimPack managed to keep the spread local, confounding the bacteria and the cell of your immune system to one area.

 _“Hold still,”_ uttered a cold commanding voice next to you. Suddenly, what felt like two fingers pressed onto your skin an inch above the cut, applying pressure as more liquid oozed out. You felt violated at the unwelcomed touch only to notice your Master using the Force instead of his fingers.

 _“Would you like me to use my hands instead, Apprentice?”_ came a sultry reply out of his smirking lips. Flabbergasted with his words, you looked away, trying to keep your foolish thoughts to yourself, away and hidden.

“No, Master,” you replied quickly, trying to hide a blush in the lowly-lit cave. Why the hell were you reacting like this? This is stupid! You felt more pressure applied at the swelling, blood and pus oozing out of you, making you writhe in place.

 _“There is more,”_ the Sith Lord spoke with a gruff, using the Force to pull out the remaining contents. You muffled your painful moan with your free hand. Finally as the pressure seized, you looked down to see the clean flesh of the mammalian gland with adipose tissue. The fungi serum was next, the cotton ball being levitated by the Force.

 _“This will sting,”_ the Dark Master squeezed the ball, forcing the concentrated liquid out of the steamed mushrooms, its droplets landing directly onto your wound. Eyes wide, you bit into your gloved hand, trying to contain screams, writhing around in place, knocking the back of your head against the stone wall. You seathed through your teeth seeing stars as the pain intensified. Powerful anger came upon you, electrifying your senses and pushing you to do things you knew were foolish. 

The scorching blade came next, dulling your senses with nothing but pain. Your eyes turned bright orange as you screamed in fury at the sensation. You wanted to kill the perpetrator, to snap his neck, to make him suffer! You were breathing hard, failing to notice a strong Force hold pinning you down against the cave wall, thrashing against it as if an enraged animal. A fresh StimPack closed the wound even more, inducing you with painkillers.You slacked against your invisible restraints, sweat forming on your forehead as you were finally released from the agonizing sensation.

Your half-lidded tired eyes landed on the hooded figure who set to your left. Now that he was this close, you could see the shadows of the bone-spurs on his jawline and brow-ridge, adorned with pointy flesh tentacles. Your eyes lazily observed the color of his skin, deep red, like the blood of your enemies. Jetblack hair was hidden underneath the hood, going down to his shoulders. Body modification scars adorned the side of his cheek. 

_“Rest, Apprentice,”_ he spoke calmly, wrapping your breast covers around your body, sealing the wound. _“I will protect you,”_ his voice sounded too far away now, your eyelids closing in exhaustion. _“Nothing will hurt you unless I…”_

But you were too far gone to hear the rest, succumbing to the sweet release of oblivion.


End file.
